Sh14.6m budget trail unveiled

By Wahome Thuku

Former Education PS Karega Mutahi has confirmed that he approved expenditure of Sh14.6 million, part of which is now the subject of several corruption cases.

Prof Mutahi, now Environment PS, told a Nairobi court that he approved a budget of Sh14,608,800 to be used in sensitising teachers on double-shift programme initiated by the Education ministry.

Mutahi was testifying before Senior Principal Magistrate Lucy Nyambura against four senior education officers charged with conspiring to fraudulently acquire more than Sh5.3 million from the ministry.

The suspects are former acting Director of Education Concilia Ondiek, senior officers Christine Chacha, Thomas Omuga, Francis Owuor and Fred Ochanda.

Ms Ondiek and Ms Chacha face additional charges of fraudulently acquiring part of the money through using fake accounting documents and false accounting. The offences were allegedly committed in May and June 2009, at the ministry’s Jogoo House headquarters in Nairobi and in Nyanza Province.

Scandals

The five are among several senior education officers on trial in connection to various scandals in the ministry unearthed in the past three years.

There was a light moment in court when an accountant, Elius Macharia, narrated how he gave Sh3,334,000 in cash to Ms Chacha for the programme.

He said the money had come from the bank in new Sh1,000 notes wrapped in bundles of Sh1 million each. He handed the cash to her at the accounts office, the court heard.

Pressed by lawyers to explain how Chacha carried such a huge amount of cash, Macharia replied: "Once I gave her the money my work was over. She can explain how she carried it," he said. The magistrate then asked, "Is a bundle of Sh1 million so large that one can not carry?" And defence lawyer Chacha Muita responded, "I have never seen it your honour."

Macharia said the accused counted the Sh334,000 as the other bundles were intact. Asked if he was sure the money was Sh3 million, he said the accused would have complained if it was not. He, however, could not recall what time he gave her the money.

In his evidence, Prof Mutahi said he approved the Sh14.6 million budget on May 4, 2009. Ms Ondiek had prepared the memo accompanying the budget. The money was to be used for organising workshops for secondary school heads and teachers from selected areas held in May 2009.

The double-shift programme was targeting schools in poor urban areas. It was to initiate learning in morning and afternoon shifts. Several schools in Kisumu, Eldoret, Nairobi, Kericho, Mombasa and Nyeri had been identified for the programme.

Mutahi said he approved the budged after being assured that the money would go in the hands of senior officers who would be in charge of the programme.

"After approving the budget, a PS does not come into contact with the documents again. The respective directors and their staff handle the implementation and expenditures," he told the court.

The PS said after an audit by internal auditors cases of authenticity of the accounting documents were raised. He said several officers were suspended and others cleared after repaying the money.

He said he referred the matter to the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission.

Hearing continues on May 16.